Download AZ Biomes PPT Part 1

Arizona Biomes
Biomes are major ecosystems
that have distinctive temperatures,
precipitation and organisms
Biomes are defined by…
• Temperature
• Precipitation – time of year that it falls,
how much, and in what form
• Plant life
• Animal life
Factors that “create” biomes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Elevation
Latitude – how far north or south
Mountains – create rain shadows
Wind patterns – influence weather
Soil Types
Soils determine the plants that can grow. The
plants determine the animals that live in an area.
Arizona has all the biomes
except tropical rainforests.
• Tundra
– (Arctic, Alpine)
•
•
•
•
Taiga (aka Coniferous Forest)
Deciduous Forests
Grasslands
Deserts
– (Great Basin, Mojave, Chihuahuan, Sonoran)
• Riparian
Tundra
1. Arctic – found in the
northernmost reaches of the
Earth
2. Alpine – found at highest
elevations
Tundra Characteristics
• Most precipitation as snow in winter
~40in/year
• Extremely cold, long winters (coldest
biome) -40°F up to 40°F
• Permafrost –permanently frozen soil layer
• Short plants, short summer growing
season, dormant in winter
• Lichens, no trees
Tundra Animals
• Mostly small rodents
• Insects and predators migrate up during
warm times of the year
• Survival adaptations include; dense fur,
hibernate or migrate
Arizona has tundra at……
Mount Humphrey’s and
The San Francisco Peaks.
Tundra occurs on the San
Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff,
Arizona, which rise above
timberline to 12,600 feet. There,
only 45 miles from the
northernmost saguaros of the
Sonoran Desert, can be found some
of the same plant species that grow
in Alaska.
Taiga (Coniferous Forest)
Characterized by…
• Cone bearing, evergreen trees like pines,
spruce, and fir
• Most precipitation falls as snow ~30in/yr
• Just below the tundra – very cold winters
down to 17°F, summers up to 70°FShort
trees in the ecotone, withstand cold
• Trees get larger (300 ft) as you go south
• Tree shape facilitates snow removal
Taiga (Coniferous Forest) cont.
• Soils – acidic from needle decomposition
• Animals include; elk, porcupine, wolves,
spotted owls, Stellar’s Jays
• Adaptations include heavy fur,
hibernation, sleeping in nesting holes
Taiga are found in Flagstaff,
Pinetop, Payson, and Alpine
Flagstaff
Pinetop
Payson
and Alpine
June 23, 2002
Mexican
Spotted
Owl
Mount Graham Red Squirrel
Deciduous Forests characterized
by…
• Trees that change color drop their leaves
in the fall
• Found near Taiga
• Precip as rain or snow year-round
~45in/yr
• Milder, Shorter Winters, but still below
freezing
• Summers are warmer (usually 80’s)
• Soil is rich and fertile because of leaf
decomposition and summer humidity
Deciduous Forests (continued)
• Animals include mule and white-tailed
deer, squirrels, chipmunks, and acorn
woodpeckers
• Adaptations include hibernation, thick fur
in fall, storing food underground or in trees
Deciduous forests are found in
Flagstaff, Oak Creek Canyon,
Ramsey’s Canyon and Portal
Oak Creek Canyon
Grasslands- semi arid region
characterized by…
• Warm, humid summers up to 100°F and cool
dry winters down to 26°F
• Mainly grass, few trees and shrubs due to fire
• Deep grass roots aid in fire & winter survival
• Soils fertile & deep; usually converted to farms
• Rain falls in summer with storms from rim
country, slightly more than deserts ~20in/yr
• Found in patchy areas throughout the state
Arizona Grassland towns include…
Patagonia
Camp Verde
Climatogram
for grasslands
Deserts characterized by low
rainfall with high evaporation;
large daily temp fluctuations
(40 degrees)
…
•
4 types of Deserts
1.
2.
3.
4.
Great Basin Desert
Mojave Desert
Chihuahuan Desert
Sonoran Desert
There are four deserts in
Arizona. There is nowhere
else in the world where this
many deserts converge.
Great Basin Desert
• Cold desert (winters), highest elevation,
northernmost desert, low 27°F, high 91°F
• Plants low-growing, small leafed shrubs (sage)
protect from hard freezes
• Precipitation in the winter is mostly snow, some
summer storms >12 in/yr
• Animals include ground squirrels, jack rabbits,
golden eagles
• Adaptations include burrowing, limited water
use
• NE AZ; Page and Tuba City
Great Basin Desert
• The major types of plants are bushes
such as the sage brush.